Roller Coaster Capital Of The World

In the hyperbolic battle for the self-proclaimed title of "Roller Coaster Capital of the World," Six Flags Magic Mountain will jump out to a seemingly insurmountable lead this summer as rival Cedar Point continues to fade in the race for amusement park supremacy. The Valencia, Calif., and Sandusky, Ohio, parks have fought for decades over the grandiose title bestowed on the park with the most coasters. The current score: Magic Mountain 19 and Cedar Point 16 (or 17, depending on who's counting)

The coming year will bring major new attractions at Disney parks on both coasts, big roller-coaster additions at Six Flags and Busch Gardens and a throng of towering thrill rides at a handful of parks. The headliner for 2011 is the $100-million Voyage of the Little Mermaid, coming to Disney California Adventure. The elaborate, dark ride will take visitors on a family-friendly musical underwater journey based on "The Little Mermaid" animated movie. A similar version of the ride will open in 2012 at the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

Six Flags Magic Mountain is expected to add a terrain-hugging launched roller coaster in 2013 featuring the world's tallest loop, according to an employee who wasn't authorized to speak on behalf of the amusement park. A Magic Mountain mechanic inadvertently revealed closely guarded facts about the record-setting attraction while casually talking with a group of coaster enthusiasts during the recent West Coast Bash event at the Valencia amusement park. Details of the conversation quickly appeared on the Theme Park Review website and rapidly spread through the online coaster community.

In the amusement park arms race, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia announced Thursday what the park says will be the world's tallest and fastest looping roller coaster, set to open next year. The debut in 2013 of a coaster called Full Throttle will bring to 18 the total number of coasters at the park, putting Six Flags ahead of its longtime rival, Cedar Point, a theme park in Sandusky, Ohio, which now has 15 coasters. For years, Cedar Point and Six Flags Magic Mountain battled in the media for the title of "roller coaster capital of the world" by trying to operate more coasters than any other amusement park.

Escalating the amusement park arms race, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia said it would open the world's tallest and fastest looping roller coaster next spring. The debut of Full Throttle will bring the number of coasters at the park to 18, widening Magic Mountain's lead over its longtime rival Cedar Point. The Sandusky, Ohio, amusement park has 15 coasters. For years, Cedar Point and Six Flags Magic Mountain have battled for the title of "roller coaster capital of the world" by adding and operating the most coasters of any amusement park.

It looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for what I've dubbed the "most anticipated new roller coaster of the summer. " Photos : Green Lantern coaster takes shape atSix Flags Magic Mountain For the second time in as many months, Six Flags Magic Mountain has pushed back the opening of the rocking and spinning Green Lantern roller coaster. It is now scheduled to make its debut July 1 after the Valencia amusement park postponed planned premieres in May and June.

Cedar Point theme park in Ohio plans to add a $25-million record-setting winged roller coaster in 2013, according to local media reports. Photos: Winged roller coaster at Cedar Point The Swiss-based Bolliger & Mabillard Wing Rider, dubbed "CP Alt.Winged," would be the world's fastest and longest winged coaster with a taller initial drop than any similar ride, according to a memo obtained by the Sandusky Register newspaper....

After a half decade without a new roller coaster and the removal of two aging rides from its coaster fleet, Cedar Point can once again reclaim its self-proclaimed title of "America's Roller Coast" with the addition of Gatekeeper in 2013. > Photos: Gatekeeper winged coaster at Cedar Point Billed as the tallest, fastest and longest winged coaster with the highest inversion of any coaster in the world, the $30-million record-setting ride will fly over Cedar Point's front entrance as the new icon of the Ohio amusement park.